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My name is John Dent and on 30 June 2011 I retired almost forty years to the day after graduating from University College, Cardiff and starting a career as a professional archaeologist. As a way of keeping active in the field of archaeology, and perhaps operating as a consultant, in 2012 I created this website under the banner of Strickland Dent Associates, incorporating my middle name to avoid confusion with namesakes. Adjusting to the leisure of retirement, I soon realised that professional consultancy was not my real desire and that focussing on bringing my past excavations to publication and exploring new interests is more appealing. Even so, I enjoy working on an unpaid basis with other archaeologists and opportunities to do this have increased in step with public interest in local history. I especially enjoy the variety that the past has to offer, particularly on a wider geographical canvas, and retirement has provided the time to see new lands and cultures. The content of this website no longer constitutes a ‘sales pitch’, but comes unashamedly under the banner of ‘vanity publishing’. Even so, for me it is a useful place to showcase the kind of things that occupied me prior to retirement as well as the themes that interest me now. The eclectic nature of these may seem more suited to the sort of life enjoyed by Victorian gentlemen of means – ‘antiquaries’ in the broadest application of the word – and this would be quite appropriate in consideration of two of the Societies with which I am associated.
My name is John Dent and on 30 June 2011 I retired almost forty years to the day after graduating from University College, Cardiff and starting a career as a professional archaeologist. As a way of keeping active in the field of archaeology, and perhaps operating as a consultant, in 2012 I created this website under the banner of Strickland Dent Associates, incorporating my middle name to avoid confusion with namesakes. Adjusting to the leisure of retirement, I soon realised that professional consultancy was not my real desire and that focussing on bringing my past excavations to publication and exploring new interests is more appealing. Even so, I enjoy working on an unpaid basis with other archaeologists and opportunities to do this have increased in step with public interest in local history. I especially enjoy the variety that the past has to offer, particularly on a wider geographical canvas, and retirement has provided the time to see new lands and cultures. The content of this website no longer constitutes a ‘sales pitch’, but comes unashamedly under the banner of ‘vanity publishing’. Even so, for me it is a useful place to showcase the kind of things that occupied me prior to retirement as well as the themes that interest me now. The eclectic nature of these may seem more suited to the sort of life enjoyed by Victorian gentlemen of means – ‘antiquaries’ in the broadest application of the word – and this would be quite appropriate in consideration of two of the Societies with which I am associated.
John Strickland Dent FSA, FSA Scot, 2020
John Strickland Dent FSA, FSA Scot, 2020